Do-gooders 2018: Samaritans who restored our faith in humanity this past year

Despite the odds, tales of the bravery and kindness of citizens from across the country continue to restore our faith in humanity!

A Wall of Kindness in Okhla Vihar area of Jamia Nagar, Delhi where people hang discarded clothes for those in need&nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspBCCL

"The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man," said Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The essence of Solzhenitsyn's quote resembles that of English poet John Milton's celebrated prose, "The mind in its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven."

Even as police data revealed a rise in violent crimes across the country in 2018, we read about the tales of several men and women who broke away from their daily routines and comfort zones to help complete strangers. While not all of them can be rewarded for their deeds, it is important to remember them and their actions which prove why humans like them are pivotal to the human race.

Deployed outside an exam centre in Telangana, head constable Mujib aka Rahman of the Moosapet police station in Hyderabad's Mahbubnagar was lauded by millions on social media after a picture of him taking care of an infant went viral. As the story goes, Rahman decided to help out a woman who had to write the exam by agreeing to take care of her baby.

As the state of Kerala battled the worst flood it had seen in a hundred years, stories of valiant men and women cannot possibly bring back those who lost their lives during the flood. However, one such story is worth telling. The story of how 71-year-old Khimji Prajapati, a cancer-stricken beggar in Ahmedabad collected Rs 5,000 in cash and went to the local collector's office to donate the sum for the Kerala flood relief victims' fund.

Born and brought up in Chhattisgarh's remote village of Dantewada, Lingaram Mandavi completed his dream project this year. A dam he built single-handedly over a period of ten years without any help from the local administration or other concerned parties. With his 1000 feet dam, Mandavi has not only safeguarded his village against floods but has also given villagers easy access to water resources for cultivation and domestic use.

An officer with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Suman became a hero on social media after a video of him rescuing a man from slipping under a train started doing rounds on the internet. Deployed in Chennai, Suman was lauded for his valiant effort which ended up saving the man's life.

While finders-keepers is an ancient concept, not many care to think about the plight of those who lose their belongings in a crowded train or market. However, Mumbai resident Kuldeep Devkule changed the rules of the game when he found Rs 20,000 lying on the road. He bravely confronted those who fought with him over his decision to turn the money into the police so that it could be returned to its rightful owner.

The district magistrate of Uttarakhand's Chamoli, Swati Bhadauriya enrolled her son at a local Anganwadi Centre run by the district administration and the state government. At a time when public servants do not practice what they preach, the DM of Chamoli proved that the only way to further our country's growth, one must lead by example.

Uttarakhand: Chamoli’s DM Swati Bhadauriya enrols her son to Anganwadi Center in Gopeshwar village. DM says,“It's for his social,mental&physical growth. All children are well-fed&provided with toys&basic amenities,including medical care.Children can have holistic growth here.” pic.twitter.com/3naLHgeuiV

During a horrific train tragedy in Amritsar on Dussehra day, the story of one man left many teary-eyed. Dalbir Singh, the man who played the role of Ravana in the Ramleela which was being witnessed by revellers at the time of the incident was seen helping people escape the wrath of two oncoming trains. Unfortunately, he lost his own life while trying to save others.

#Amritsar: Dalbir Singh (pic 1), who played the role of Ravan in a Ramlila in the city during Dussehra celebrations, died in #AmritsarTrainAccident, yesterday. His mother (pic 3) says, "I appeal to the govt to provide a job to my daughter-in law. She also has a 8-month old baby." pic.twitter.com/MFDHVhwf4G

A 55-year-old woman in Chennai's Avadi area proved that a single vigilant citizen can avert a hundred tragedies. K Sumathi was awarded by the city police for thwarting a robbery attempt after she noticed a suspicious looking man work on an ATM machine opposite her home with a screwdriver.

Hailed as a local hero in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, 36-year-old Bishnu Bhagat was praised by his fellow residents for dawning polythene bags as a uniform to create awareness about the harm caused by plastic waste to the environment.

Mayurbhanj: Bishnu Bhagat, a resident of Baripada dresses himself up in polythene bags to create awareness among children about pollution caused by polythene. He says,"I dress up this way to spread the message that polythene is bad and shouldn't be used." #Odishapic.twitter.com/TvHVREUomQ

Retired Brigadier BD Mishra, currently serving as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh earned praises on social media after he facilitated the journey of a pregnant woman in urgent need of medical assistance. Mishra requisitioned his own chopper and even arranged for an ambulance with a lady gynecologist at Raj Bhawan helipad at Itanagar to rush the woman to the Heema Hospital without losing precious time.

Do-gooders 2018: Samaritans who restored our faith in humanity this past yearDescription:Despite the odds, tales of the bravery and kindness of citizens from across the country continue to restore our faith in humanity!Times Now